0 Replies Latest reply: Jan 14, 2013 3:23 PM by Toaosog RSS

    Duplicate Italic Keywords in Bridge

    Toaosog Community Member

      You asked....

      In the keyword panel,I have the same keyword in several places in the hierarchy. I think some came in as legacy keywords, and others, I inadvertently created the same keyword twice. These duplicates appear in different parts of the whole keyword list. Now so I don't have all those confusing duplicates, and so I can find stuff, I would like to delete the extra keywords. The duplicates appear in italics. I can make them persistent, but I can't get rid of them. I've tried all sorts of things like finding all the files with the keyword in question, manually deleting the words and then re entering. I can delete the words, but they will magically reappear. What I want to do is consolidate multiple, duplicate kewords. Is that possible? Any ideas?Thanks

       

      Here is the summary of details and how to fix this.

       

      When you create keywords in Bridge, the metadata is stored in the xmp file in unicode 8 format.

      While that sounds like software techno babble, a point emerges.

      When Bridge reads the xmp file it reports on keywords that already exist within your own keyword library and this is indicated by a floating italic keyword.

      While this does not harm anything, it is a mess to read and organize.

       

      Here is the fix.

      You must follow these steps EXACTLY or you may create the need to re-keword files.

       

      1. Create a new UNIQUE keyword. I suggest capital "AAAA" (no quotes) since this places the keyword at the very top of your keywords.

       

      2. Do a Find with the keyword of interest. (typically one of the italic keywords that appear but choose the keyword in your Keyword Library and Not the italic keyword)

       

      3. Once the files are found, check the keyword in the Filter panel ON THE LEFT side of the Bridge screen where the keyword lists appear. (your Keyword Library is the panel on the right of the screen)

       

      4. Select ALL in the browser window.

       

      5. On the right side of the screen in the Keyword Library apply "AAAA" (or unique keyword of your choice) to the selected files. (no quotes) WAIT!.... for Bridge to COMPLETELY finish writing the metadata. (thousands of files can take some time, just watch the lower left progress indicator carefully!!!! and if you have tens of thousands consider using this technique to individual folders rather than entire root directories BE WISE!.... too many files can run Bridge out of memory and create a new problem)

       

      6. On the left side of the screen in the Filter keyword lists panel, check AAAA.

       

      7. On the right side of the screen in the keywords library panel navigate to where you would prefer to have the duplicate keyword located just so you know where it is.... Do NOT apply.

       

      8. On the right side of the screen where the italic duplicate keyword appears (alphabetically as it works out) uncheck the duplicate italic keyword and WAIT for bridge to COMPLETELY finish erasing the italic keyword.

       

      Here's the trick.

      What you have done is made a unique selection based a unique find and applied the unique keyword AAAA and have instructed Bridge to show all files within the unique search that NOW have the keyword AAAA and have erased the keyword that you used to do a Find, ie, the duplicate. (you will see that the unique word you used to do the Find will now be italic and "0" in the Filter keywords lists on the left side of the screen.

      All the photos will remain selected because they are now identified by AAAA.

      Now for the next step.

       

      9. In the Keyword Library on the right side of the screen, Navigate to the place where you wish the duplicate keyword to be located in step 7.

       

      10. Check the keyword and apply the keyword from the place where you want it (step 7) and WAIT for Bridge to COMPLETELY finish writing the metadata keyword. (the keyword lists on the left will no longer be italic and will be the exact number of files you selected)

       

      11. IMPORTANT!!!!!...... now uncheck AAAA in the keyword library to remove AAAA from the Filter keyword lists on the left. YOU MUST DO THIS AND NOT FORGET.

      (verify that AAAA is now italic and has "0" files)

       

      Believe it or not, you are done!

      You have now removed the italic keyword on the right permanently.

      Oddly enough, you won't see the italic keyword on the right go away, why is that you ask?

      The italic duplicate keyword you see is in Ram and will not go away until you Quit and ReLaunch Bridge.

      Like magic, the duplicate italic keyword has vanished.

       

      You must repeat this technique for EVERY file that has a duplicate keyword whether you created it or not otherwise the duplicate italic keyword will once again reappear.

       

      I VERY STRONGLY SUGGEST.... that you repeat these steps For ONE duplicate keyword Find at a time, in fact I cannot suggest this strongly enough. One Keyword At A Time.

      While you can use this technique for more than one keyword at a time, you will only cause more work as you go through this process.

       

      Sound complicated?..... its not..... do this once or twice and see that it is easier done than said.

       

      PS

      I have more than a million files keyworded and had to use this technique myself. (I devised this technique out of pure necessity and if followed and understood.... it works perfectly)